The present invention relates generally to a distributed power system and more specifically to an intelligent distributed power system.
The distributed power system generally includes a master locomotive setting throttle/brake and transmitting information to slave locomotives to set their throttle/brakes. An early system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,399 to Southard et al. The ability of the remote locomotive to receive a throttle command from the master locomotive and make a modification to conserve fuel in a train consists is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,364 to Nickles et al. The ability of the remote locomotive to transmit back diagnostic information is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,284 by Roselli et al. The distributed power settings being determined at and transmitted from the master unit to a slave unit based on the topography and location of the master and slave units is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,901 to Nickles et al., as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,967 to Montgomery.
The present system includes on each locomotive a propulsion system and a braking system; a transceiver for communication between the locomotives; and sensors for sensing operational conditions on the locomotive. A processor receives the sensed operational conditions, communicates information including the sensed operational conditions to the other locomotive, determines a propulsion or braking value/command based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria, and the information received from the other locomotive, and outputs the propulsion or braking value/command.
The processor may determine and communicate to the other locomotives as part of the information an initial propulsion or braking value based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria and sensed operation conditions received from the other locomotive; and the processor determines a final propulsion or braking value/command based on the sensed operational conditions, the pre-selected criteria and the information received from the other locomotive.
The present method of controlling the propulsion and braking systems of each locomotive includes receiving sensed operational conditions of the locomotive; communicating information including the sensed operational conditions to the other locomotive; determining a propulsion or braking value/command based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria and the information received from the other locomotive; and controlling the propulsion and braking system using the propulsion or braking value/command.
The determining of a propulsion or braking value/command may include determining and communicating to the other locomotive as part of the information an initial propulsion or braking value based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria and sensed operation conditions received from the other locomotive; and determining a final propulsion or braking value/command based on the sensed operational conditions, the pre-selected criteria and the information received from the other locomotive.
The present system includes on each locomotive a propulsion system and a braking system; a transceiver for communication between the locomotives; and a location determining device and a storage of track topology. A processor determines and communicates to the other locomotive as information an initial propulsion or braking value using the topology of the present and projected location of the locomotive and pre-selected criteria, determines a final propulsion or braking value/command based on the initial value and the information received from the other locomotive, and outputs the final propulsion or braking value/command.
The system may include sensors for sensing operational conditions and the processor receives and communicates the sensed operational conditions as information including the sensed operational conditions to the other locomotive. The processor determines one of the initial and final propulsion or braking values based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria, topology, and the information received from the other locomotive.
The present method of controlling the propulsion and braking systems of each locomotive includes determining topology of the present and projected location of the locomotive; determining and communicating to the other locomotive as information an initial propulsion or braking value using the topology of the present and projected location of the locomotive and pre-selected criteria; determining a final propulsion or braking value/command based on the initial value and the information received from the other locomotive; and controlling the propulsion and braking system using the propulsion or braking value/command.
The method may include receiving and communicating as information sensed operation conditions of the locomotive; and determining one of the initial and final propulsion or braking values/command based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria, topology, and the information received from the other locomotive.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.